The President of the Adisadel Old Boys Association - North America, Mr. George Arthur, meets with the staff and Headmaster of the school to discuss the latest status of the school. Please read his comments in the comments section below.

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Adisadel College, Cape Coast, Mon. 24 March, 2008

The late Master Mustapha Abdul Gafaru

Gafaru was a 3rd year student who unfortunately jumped to his death from the 4th. floor of a new classroom block on Suday 16th. March 2008. The Adisadel community has been saddened by his untimely death.

May he rest in peace.

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Adisadel College, Cape Coast, Thu. 20 March, 2008

The executive of the Parent/Teacher Association(PTA) of Adisadel College will, on March 24, meet parents of third year students of the school to discuss how best to handle issues pertaining to the welfare of the students.

The decision followed an emergency meeting by the school's Board of Governors in the aftermath of the death of Gafaru Abdul Rahman, a third year science student, who jumped to his death on March 16. The college was closed down on March 17 due to students' unrest following the incident.

A statement issued on Thursday and signed by the Assistant Headmaster in charge of administration and Secretary to the board, Mr Kwadwo Asiedu-Gyimah, said all Form Three students and their parents were expected to meet the PTA executive at the school's chapel on that day.

It said the school would be re-opened for first and second year students on April 14.

The statement said the board had also set up a committee of enquiry to investigate the circumstances leading to the death of Rahman. Mr Asiedu-Gyimah told the GNA that the PTA would also impress upon the parents to "advice their wards" and that the committee would be formally inaugurated on March 26.

1. The Adisadel Board of Governors had an emergency meeting today at the school to discuss issues affecting the school after the incident on Sunday March 16, 2008 which resulted in the death of Master Mustapha Abdul Gafaru.2. The Board has agreed to set up a Committee of Inquiry to investigate the matter3. The school will be opened next Monday March 24. 2008 to receive the final year students only4. The first and second year students will arrive at a later date.5. A communiqué is being planned for release which will be posted here on AdisadelOnline Portal when it becomes available.

It is hoped that this will allow the school to address the final year students and calm things down before the rest of the student body get back on campus.

The AOBA-North America President, George Arthur and Mark Aggrey (Treasurer - Adisadel Foundation Inc.) who were at the school last week for the 98th. Speech and Prize Giving Day celebrations, will be meeting the school authorities including staff tomorrow Thursday.

You may be aware that the classroom building where the accident occurred is new and is yet to be used for teaching - this new school block is not open for use to students and the boys that skipped church service on that Sunday went to hide up there. Anyway, the Senior House Master Mr. Opare came by to secure the doors and found some boys on the staircase and he started using the cane.

Other boys heard of the lashes and started running helter-skelter. A number of boys actually jumped from the first floor to avoid being punished. The deceased boy was on the 4th floor and he jumped. In the process, an object - plastic pipe/iron rod or something caught his shirt, causing him to tumble headfirst to his death. Mr. Opare rushed to the boy's rescue but it was too late, because his head had cracked open and brains had gushed out.

The rest of the boys were milling around and then a village boy from Adisadel village (dont know if he is a Moslem) who had heard this came on campus and was shouting and inciting the boys, and that is what sparked the rampage. At the time, the boys attacked Mr. Opare's pickup truck he was not at home. All this happened on the Sunday.

On the Monday, the final year students were getting ready to write their mock exams, and the teachers were still mingling with them and encouraging them to stay focused and write the exams. And then a first year student approached one of the armed policemen who had been patrolling the campus as a result of the previous day's incident.

The boy started quizzing the policemen about his firearm, and then it turned into an argument, so the policeman held the boy and was frog-marching him to the administration block. When other boys in the classrooms saw that scene, they started shouting and hooting, and then everything went up in an uproar, but no violence occurred.

The Headmaster called the Central Regional Minister - and they met the boys in the assembly hall and informed them that the unruly behavior would not be tolerated so they had two options, to stay and write their exams or go home.

And being students, they opted for the latter, so the School authorities then proceeded to send them home and shut the campus down. The students left campus immediately.

Mr Opare informed me that, surely, there will be the need for counseling once the students get back, and he personally would like to meet with the students and if necessary ask for their forgiveness, but while sticking to the fact that, what he did was within his duties and this unfortunate incident should not in any way discount that. Mr. Opare wished this event never happened and is very sorry about it.

George, Thanks for enlightening us on what really happened. Despite the sorrowful death I think the media spice things up too much. What I read was students going on a rampage and made it seem as if there was some sort of antagonism going on between the students and the staff.

I would like to know if you were the Ebiradze House Prefect or the George Arthur related to the late Edward Arthur.

Cape Coast, March 20, GNA - The executive of the Parent/Teacher Association(PTA) of Adisadel College will, on March 24, meet parents of third year students of the school to discuss how best to handle issues pertaining to the welfare of the students.

The decision followed an emergency meeting by the school's Board of Governors in the aftermath of the death of Abdul Gafaru Abdul Rahman, a third year science student, who jumped to his death on March 16. The college was closed down on March 17 due to students' unrest following the incident.

A statement issued on Thursday and signed by the Assistant Headmaster in charge of administration and Secretary to the board, Mr Kwadwo Asiedu-Gyimah, said all Form Three students and their parents were expected to meet the PTA executive at the school's chapel on that day.

It said the school would be re-opened for first and second year students on April 14.

The statement said the board had also set up a committee of enquiry to investigate the circumstances leading to the death of Rahman. Mr Asiedu-Gyimah told the GNA that the PTA would also impress upon the parents to "advice their wards" and that the committee would be formally inaugurated on March 26.

Cape Coast, Wed. March 26, 2008 - I went to Adisco yesterday, Tuesday and met with the teaching staff and today, I met with final year students in the dining hall. I had asked to meet with the Moslem students but I was informed that it was not a good idea because they didnt want them to feel any different from the rest of the school body.

Everything is calm now, there are no armed policement on campus and the students had to post bonds for good behaviour. Theses bonds are supposed to be guaranteed by the parents, so the students had to come with their parents to do that. I had a number of meetings with the Headmaster and expressed our concern about the poor image being painted of the school by the media.

He gave me a document that explains what actually happened, which we have mostly covered. However I expressed to him the need to rebuff all those wrong impressions being banded about in the media. He insisted that he knew he had the truth and that when it comes out eventually it will defuse the whole situation. I was of a different opinion and made him aware of that. He informed me he will prepare an official statement to the press.

Anyway, what he informed me that I think he needed to share with the rest of the world soonest include the following:

1. the Moslem students have a dedicated place of worship in the school;2. The school has a dedicated patron to see to the welfare of the Moslem students3. On Fridays, they are allowed to go outside the school to worship in a mosque4. During Ramadan, the domestic bursar wakes up at 3am and prepares their breakfast for them at 4am. 5. In the evening they are served a special diet6. After Ramadan, they were given a feast.

These are all facilities that are not given to Moslem students in any other mission school or even the secular schools. These are the points that I think Mr Graham needs to let people know.

He informed me that the national Imam chief, sent a delegation to Adisco and they recorded all this, but for some reason they have not aired it to date, allowing the media and uninformed people to have a field day, destroying the image of our great school.

FIRST OF ALL ' I SHARE MY DEEP CONDOLENCE TO HIS FAMILY AND TO HIS LARGER FAMILY(SANTACLAUSIANS), BUT ADISADEL COLLEGE DESERVES A LOT OF PRAISE ABOUT HOW HE HANDLES RELIGIOUS MATTERS, IT DOES A LOT AND PROVIDES FACILITIES FOR EVERY RELIGION ESPECIALLY MUSLIMS. OF COURSE THE ISSUE IS A VERY SAD ONE, THE TEACHERS SHOULD BE STRONG AND CONTINUE THE GOOD WORKS TO HELP MAKE THE SCHOOL WHAT IT WAS.

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